Reading 'Oh god not again'
by BTS-Army7477
Summary: The goblet spat out a book instead of names, now they are reading this book. (This book is actually a fanfiction made by Sarah1281.)
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I dont own Harry Potter or any of the characters.**

 **All the credit of the bold writing in the story goes to Sarah1281**

"I feel accomplished," Harry declared the next day as he sat down to the Halloween Feast.

Neville looked frightened. "What did you do this time?"

Harry still couldn't get over the fact that there was someone who considered him scarier than Snape. Seriously, who was the ex-Death Eater with the power to fail them, anyway? "I managed to convince about 75 percent of the non-Hufflepuff Hogwarts population to bet that Cedric Diggory will not be the Hogwarts champion. I fully intend to make a killing tonight. Apparently Voldemort's got people convinced that you have to be ugly to be powerful and if the fangirls are any indication, Cedric is really pretty."

"You mean you didn't enter?" Hermione asked, surprised and ignoring the rest of what Harry had said. She hadn't heard of Harry's scheme to charge anyone who was underage and wanted a chance to enter, but she did know Harry.

"Oh, no, I did," Harry assured her.

"And you…DON'T think you'll win?" Ron asked, unable to believe Harry had voiced something that could possibly be construed as doubt in himself.

"Of course I'll win. Who do you think I am?" Harry asked, a little self-mocking.

"But then how can Cedric-" Hermione continued.

"Now, now, that would be telling," Harry said with a grin. "You'll see soon enough."

Throughout the entire feast, Hermione kept pressing him for details, but Harry stayed mum. It was more fun to watch her get all worked up anyway.

At last, Dumbledore stood up. "Well, the Goblet is almost ready to make its decision. I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them to please come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber where they will be receiving their first instructions."

As he finished speaking, the flames in the goblet suddenly turned red, but then unexpectedly turned green. The flames roared wildly, startling everyone. Once they had died down, lay a bound green bound book, on top lay a note. Dumbledore picked it up and read it aloud,

 **Before the competition takes place, this book must be read. Any moment now people will be transported here, you cannot leave this room until this book is read. Time has stopped in here so take as much time as you need.**

"That is al it says." Dumbledore said, as soon as he finished a families appeared all around. The relatives of them went over and explained what was happening.

"There is a summary on the back." Dumbledore said and read aloud,

 **So maybe everything didn't work out perfectly for Harry.**

Everyone looked at him.

 **Still, most of his friends survived, he'd gotten married, and was about to become a father.**

"What!"

 **If only he'd have stayed away from the Veil, he wouldn't have had to go back and do everything AGAIN.**

Everyone looked to him for answers.

"Ok so, I'm from the future, around 10 years, but I went to the veil, and accidently went through and now I'm changing time." He explained. Everyone only gaped at him.

"Who was your wife?" Hermione asked once her mouth worked again.

"You'll find out soon enough." He hastily answered.

"I think we shall start." Dumbledore said and began.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I dont own Harry Potter or any of the characters.**

 **He'd been dreaming of it since the defeat of Voldemort**.

"Defeat?" Someone asked.

"Yeah he came back, but we killed him once and for all." Harry answered.

 **The Veil, that is. The one that Sirius had fallen behind. The last time he'd dreamed about the Department of Mysteries, Sirius had died.**

Both winced at that.

 **The world had also finally woken up to the truth about Voldemort, but the price had been too high for him to be grateful. And once the truth was out, the attacks had gotten worse.**

 **He wondered, briefly, why he was there. Ginny was at home, she was pregnant, she needed him.**

"What?!" All the Weasleys exclaimed, though Mrs Weasley was more of a squeal.

"Surprise." Harry deadpanned.

"Welcome to-"

"-the family." The twins said with a grin that Harry matched.

"Pregnant?" Ginny squeaked, her face as red as her hair. Harry nodded.

 **Yet he could not seem to stay away. Voldemort was gone, true.**

Everyone cheered at that.

 **But then, so were so many other people, good people, who should not have died.**

 **He counted the steps until he was standing right in front of where Sirius had fallen through. Cedric.**

"What!" Cedric shouted.

"End of the year." Harry said weekly, as Cedric paled.

 **Sirius. Dumbledore.**

Gasps went around the room.

 **Hedwig. Moody.**

Moody grunted.

 **Dobby.**

"My house elf?" Draco asked in bewilderment. Harry grinned.

 **Tonks father.**

She gasped.

 **Remus.**

"No." Sirius rasped.

 **Colin Creevy. Tonks. Snape.**

He made no move, but he visibly got pale, or paler.

 **Fred.**

"No!" George et out a heartbroken cry as he clung to his twins body. The other Weasleys weren't any better.

 **Hell, even Crabbe didn't deserve to die then.**

He only blinked.

 **There were more, many more, but none of them close to him. They were close to somebody, though. Maybe that was why he couldn't stay away. Why he couldn't look away. Why, even at that very moment, he couldn't walk away.**

"That sounds bad." Hermione commented.

"No kidding." Harry scoffed.

 **Harry awoke with a start. He was lying on a floor, covered by a poor excuse for a blanket, and someone appeared to be attempting to break the door down.**

"What?" Hermione gasped.

"Now its showing what has happened since traveling back." Harry explained.

 **"Where's the cannon?" Dudley asked. Dudley? Where had the Veil sent him? Could this be when Hagrid first told him about Hogwarts? It must be, because he couldn't recall any other time where he and Dudley had been sleeping in what appeared to be a shack.**

"Why are you in a shack?" Draco asked curiously.

"My relatives tried to keep the letters away." Harry said.

 **There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the room, holding a rifle. Harry snorted. Like that would do any good against HAGRID.**

Everyone snorted at the idea.

 **His uncle didn't seem to know that, though, and shouted "Who's there? I warn you-I'm armed!"**

"He had a gun?" Hermione said horrified. Harry made a so-so gesture, much to her annoyance.

 **Although it did occur to Harry that when people were trying to break in, it can generally be assumed that they are probably armed as well. And as if they didn't know that a wizard had come for Harry. Who else COULD even get across in this weather, not to mention who else would even bother?**

 **SMASH! The door flew clean off its hinges and landed on the floor with a thunderous crash. Hagrid stood in the doorway, looking very impressive.**

Hagrid grinned at harry.

 **Now, Harry hadn't exactly planned this, but he figured that he might as well make the best of it. Things hadn't exactly turned out terribly when he had taken down Voldemort, but they also hadn't been all that great. Maybe he was getting a second chance. And if that was the case, there was no way in hell he wasn't going to take it.**

The people and families of those who died looked at him gratefully, while others nodded in agreement.

 **"Couldn't make a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey…" Hagrid began. And completely ruined his frightening first impression. He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat, petrified. "Budge up, yeh great lump," he told him-**

Laughter broke out.

 **watching as Dudley ran to go hide behind his mother, who was in turn hiding behind her husband. "An' here's Harry! Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby. Yeh look a lot like yeh dad, buy yeh've got yer mum's eyes."**

"First person to tell me that, in both realities." Harry smiled.

 **"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" Uncle Vernon demanded, making a funny rasping noise. "You are breaking and entering!"**

 **"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune." Harry grinned.**

As did everyone else.

 **He had been much too confused to enjoy Hagrid's verbal throw down of his Uncle the last time around. When Hagrid reached over and turned the gun into a pretzel, Harry's grin only grew wider.**

 **"Anyway," Hagrid said, turning his attention back to Harry as though people regularly went around turning deadly weapons into the shapes of tasty snack food.**

Everyone looked at harry in amusement.

"Is this how your brain usually works." Charlie Weasley asked.

"I was a bit saner in the other reality, though only a bit..." He trailed of thoughtfully. **,**

 **"Harry-a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here-I mighta sat on it at some point,** **but it'll taste all right." He pulled out a cake that said 'Happy Birthday Harry' written on it in green icing.**

 **"Why, thank you," Harry said gratefully, accepting the cake. He did wish, though, that Hagrid hadn't used a Slytherin colour, even if it did match his eyes.**

"Nothing is wrong with Slytherin, I'm just a Gryffindor through and through." He explained, seeing them open their mouths. They nodded in acceptation.

 **"You seem to know me, but if, as you said, we haven't seen each other since I was a baby, perhaps you could be so kind as to introduce yourself?" Harry asked politely.**

 **Hagrid chuckled. "O' course, o' course. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." And with that, he shook Harry's arm up and down.**

Everyone laughed at the mental image.

 **"What about that tea then, eh? I'd not say no ter summat strong if yeh've got it, mind."**

"Hagrid!" McGonagall abolished.

 **"I'm sorry, we left in rather a hurry, so we don't have anything to drink," Harry said apologetically.**

 **"S'alright, I've got summat here." Hagrid said, turning towards the fireplace and then back once he got a roaring fire going. He then proceeded to pull a good dozen or so things out of his coat pockets.**

 **Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."**

 **Hagrid chuckled darkly. "Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' any more, Dursley, don' worry."**

Everyone roared with laughter.

 **Hagrid passed Harry the sausages and he thanked him cordially for his thoughtfulness, then decided that it would be suspicious to just accept this and so asked Hagrid for more details.**

 **"Call me Hagrid, everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts - yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course."**

 **Harry nodded. "Of course."**

 **Uncle Vernon's eyes bulged. "YOU DO?"**

 **"Yes," Harry answered calmly.**

 **"But how? We were always so careful not to let you get any dangerous ideas! How'd you hear about all this wizarding nonsense?"**

"You don't need the wizarding world to get dangerous ideas." Hermione scoffed. Harry puffed out his chest in pride.

"And you say I'm a peacock." Draco muttered.

 **"Now wait jus' one second!" Hagrid thundered, leaping to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Dursleys cowered against the wall. "Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that you told this boy - this boy - nothin' abou' - about ANYTHING?"**

 **"No," Harry said, shaking his head ruefully. "They didn't."**

The twins and Ron gave him approving looks.

 **Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

 **"DURSLEY!" he boomed.**

 **Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like 'Mimblewimble'.**

 **"But-but if Daddy didn't tell Harry anything, how does he know?" Dudley asked, speaking up for the first time from behind his mother.**

 **Hagrid looked expectantly at Harry.**

 **"Fair point," Harry admitted. "Well, it's just that people have spent the last ten years following me around and shaking my hand and bowing to me, generally just appearing very honoured to meet me and eventually you pick some things up."**

"That... is actually a good excuse." Said a wide eyed Hermione.

"It has been known to happen." Harry sniffed.

"No it hasn't." Hermione resorted.

 **"'s not enough to 'pick thin's up,' Harry. You've got to know."**

 **"But I do know," Harry countered. "About Hogwarts, about my parents, about Voldemort…"**

 **Hagrid shuddered. "Don' say tha' name!"**

Some shuddered with him.

 **Harry shrugged. "Old habits die hard. Although if I ever go camping again, I'll make sure to take your advice. Well, will be heading to Diagon Alley tomorrow?"**

"Camping?" Questions a bewildered Hermione.

"We were looking for ways to stop _him_ and I said his name, and found that it was a taboo." He explained, making everyone's eyed widen.

 **"O' course," Hagrid nodded.**

 **"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.**

"This is my favourite part." Harry said excitedly. Some looked scared at that.

 **Harry might have known Uncle Vernon would insist on provoking Hagrid. Quick as a flash, he'd brought his umbrella, containing the pieces of his wand, swishing down through the air to point at Dudley.**

 **A flash of violet light, loud boom, and pig squeal later, Dudley was dancing on the spot with his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned around, Harry could see the curly pig's tail poking a hole through the back of his pants.**

All of the laughter drown out any scolding Hagrid was to receive.

 **Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.**

 **Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.**

 **"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

Laughter filled the hall again at the truth in that statement.

 **He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.**

 **"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he said. "I'm - er - not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff - one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job -"**

 **"Of course not," Harry assured him. "It's getting late, so we should probably turn in."**

 **"Right you are, Harry," Hagrid agreed. "We've got lots ter do tomorrow. Gotta get up ter town, get al yer books and all that." He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry. "You can kip under that," he said. "Don't' mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

 **Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.**

 **It was a dream, he told himself firmly. I dreamt I was back to when Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a Hogwarts. When I open my eyes I'll be at home with Ginny.**

Said girl blushed once again.

 **There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.**

 **And there's Hedwig Jr. knocking on the window, Harry thought, relieved, still not getting up.**

"Hedwig Jr." Hermione deadpanned.

"I had to honour her." Harry defended.

 **Tap. Tap. Tap.**

 **"All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up."**

 **He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him.**

 **The hut was full of sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed sofa and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper held in its beak.**

 **Harry's heart sank. It hadn't been a dream after all. He quickly paid the owl and handed the Daily Prophet to Hagrid. He then listened patiently as the half-giant explained to him about Gringotts. Then they got into the Dursley's boat and headed off towards London and Diagon Alley.**

 **Leaving the Dursley's to fend for themselves. Realized Harry with malicious glee.**

"You have a scary sense of humour." Someone said seriously, but by now this shouldn't surprize them.

 **He knew they'd get home before he would and besides, it really served them right.**

Harry nodded his head, as if agreeing with himself, which in all fairness, he probably was.

 **All too soon they were in the Leaky Cauldron. As before, everyone was very eager to shake his hand.**

Snape sneered.

 **Eventually, a pale young man made his way to Harry, his left eye twitching something terrible.**

 **"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."**

 **"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."**

 **Harry briefly wondered how he could stand touching him, but realized he must not have been possessed yet.**

"Possessed?" Some said sceptically.

"You'll see soon." Harry said.

 **Probably wouldn't be until he failed to secure the stone. He also wondered why in the world he felt the need to stutter the whole year. He could appear perfectly innocent (especially compared to the likes of Severus Snape)-**

Just about everyone, even Slytherin, snorted or laughed.

 **-just fine without it, and quite frankly it was annoying. Besides, according to Snape's memory, Dumbledore had been onto Quirrell from the beginning.**

Dumbledore nodded affirmative.

 **He supposed that Hagrid neglected to mention that this was Quirrell's first year teaching so as not to freak him out with the DADA job curse. He decided to bring that up.**

 **"So how long have you been teaching?" he inquired.**

 **"W-w-well, actually, th-this is m-m-my f-first year, but I'm v-very excited," Quirrell said, looking a bit sheepish.**

 **"What subject do you teach?" Harry asked, knowing the answer perfectly well, but that was just the sort of question people asked their future teachers.**

 **"D-Defence Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it.**

 **Yes, Quirrell, and his master, Voldemort, would probably be MUCH happier without such pesky things as defenses against the Dark Arts being taught.**

A lot gasped at that sentence.

 **"N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" he laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought. Harry marvelled when he thought about the fact that this was the very first person he could remember trying to kill him.**

"What?!" Shrieked Mrs Weasley, making a lot wince.

 **The other patrons of the bar quickly interrupted and it took nearly ten minutes for Hagrid to extricate Harry from his throng of admirers.**

 **Things progressed pretty much the same from then on, until it was time to go to Madam Malkin's to get his uniform.**

 **When Harry went inside, he froze. He'd almost forgotten about his first meeting with Draco Malfoy, here before either of them knew anything about the path that was chosen for the other. Because they were arch-rivals.**

"What?" Said a shocked Draco.

"Yeah, we hated each other." Harry said in a passive tone.

 **Before he found out that Draco, though undoubtedly unpleasant, wasn't evil and had more-or-less redeemed himself.**

Draco looked at him curiously, but made no comment.

 **Hm, Harry thought. Could be fun.**

"And it was." Harry confirmed.

 **"Hello," said Draco. "Hogwarts, too?"**

 **"Yes," Harry nodded.**

 **"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said Malfoy. He had the same bored, drawling voice at eleven as he did at twenty-three.**

"Don't I know it, still got to me over a decade later." Harry groaned, ignoring Draco's glare and everyone else's snickers.

 **"Not much point of that until you get there, though, right?" Harry asked.**

 **"True, but she needs something to do while I'm in here. After that I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first-years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."**

"Bully me, will you Draco." Lucius Malfoy said. Draco quietly gulped and glared at the book like it had set his death, which it probably had.

 **"They probably won't check the luggage, so if you just shrink it, you can carry it in and then unshrink it once you're there. Of course, you'd have to claim it belonged to an older student if anyone asked, but that shouldn't be too difficult," Harry suggested.**

"A very good idea Harry." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. Meanwhile other teachers were gaping at missing that kind of trick.

 **Draco looked at Harry approvingly. "That just might work. I'd have to learn how to unshrink things, but until then I could get an older student to do that, as well. Say, have you got your own broom?"**

 **"Not at the moment," Harry answered, noncommittally.**

 **"Play Quidditch at all?"**

 **"Of course, I'm seeker. You?"**

 **"Same. Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"**

 **"I think I'd like to be in Gryffindor. I hear they have the best parties."**

"Of course we do." The twins cheered.

 **"Well, that's okay, if you're into that sort of thing. I'm going to be in Slytherin, all our family has been there-"**

 **"Well, that's okay, if you're into that sort of thing," Harry interrupted and he could've sworn he say Draco's mouth twitch upwards.**

Draco grumbled under his breath, but his smile betrayed him.

 **"Imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"**

 **"Well, maybe not LEAVE…that's a bit drastic, but I'd definitely defect. I mean, Hufflepuff sounds like a brand of marshmallows or pillows or something."**

 **This time he knew he wasn't imagining it. Draco Malfoy, fighting a smile because of something he, Harry Potter, had said.**

Harry looked like he had won the Quidditch cup. Draco was still grumbling.

 **He never thought he'd see the day! This actually was sort of fun. Why weren't they friends again?**

 **"I say, look at that man!" Harry turned to where Draco was pointing and saw Hagrid standing outside the window, grinning at Harry and pointing to two large ice-creams to show that he couldn't come in.**

 **"That's Hagrid. He works at Hogwarts."**

 **"Oh, I've heard of him. He's sort of a servant, isn't he?" Oh. That's why.**

"Forgot about that." Harry said under his breath and a few people in hearing range snorted while Draco glared.

 **"He's the gamekeeper."**

 **"Yes, exactly," Draco nodded impatiently.**

 **"No, not exactly, there's a difference between a gamekeeper and a servant. Maybe not a profound difference, but it'd definitely something that any Manor Lord should know," Harry said, knowing full well that Draco would inherit Malfoy Manor someday. He was pleased to note Draco's ears were pink.**

 **"I heard he's a sort of savage-lives in a hut in the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic and ends up setting fire to his bed."**

"Sorry, Hagrid." Draco muttered, to witch he received a nod.

 **"Well," Harry said, remembering how Hagrid had carried him back to Hogwarts when Voldemort had nearly killed him and struggling to keep his temper.**

"What?!" Was gasped around the room, he was glanced at with pity more times than he could count.

"Sorry." Draco muttered, only loud enough for harry to hear, which he received a nod.

 **"I'd wager a guess that it's a bit difficult to do magic when drunk under the best of circumstances. And not everyone can live in Manors. If they did, then it wouldn't be so special, now would it, and people would have to find new ways to flaunt their wealth."**

 **Draco nodded, considering. "You're right, I never thought I'd say this, but the Hagrid's of the world are needed to contrast with the right sort of people." Now, Harry knew exactly what he meant by 'the right sort of people,' but pretended he didn't to avoid a scene. "Hey, is he with you?"**

 **"Yes," Harry said simply.**

 **"Why? Where are your parents?"**

 **"Godric's Hollow."**

 **"Why didn't they come with you, then?" Draco pressed.**

 **"Well, they would have, but Voldemort killed them, see," Harry explained.**

"How can you say that so casually." Hermione gasped.

"I've had a whole other life to come to terms with it, would you rather say they were dead and him just say sorry, not even caring." He resorted, she shook her head soundlessly.

 **Draco's eyes widened. "You said the Dark Lord's name!"**

 **Harry nodded. "Yes. Yes I did."**

Everyone rolled their eyes at him.

 **Draco didn't seem to be able to think of anything to say to that, so instead he asked, "But they were our kind, weren't they?"**

 **Harry fought the urge to roll his eyes. "If they weren't, why would Voldemort bother with them personally? He was rather busy and important near the end, or so I hear, and had other people to kill Muggles for him."**

 **"I really don't think they should let Muggleborns in, do you? They're just not the same; they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine."**

 **"Well, I don't think it's not having heard of Hogwarts that should concern you, per say, as much as they haven't heard about magic or know anything about our culture," Harry said, not really answering the question.**

 **"Yes, that's exactly why I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your last name, anyway?"**

 **Before Harry could answer, Madam Malkins said, "That's you done my dear." Harry briefly wondered why he was done first when he had come in after Draco, but decided not to dwell on it.**

 **"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," Draco said.**

"You will." Harry nodded, much to their annoyance.

 **"Later. See if you can guess my last name by then and tell me on the train."**

 **"I will," Draco said, suddenly determined.**

"That annoyed me the whole month." Draco almost whined.

 **Shortly after that, Harry and Hagrid had purchased all of Harry's supplies and he was back with the Dursley's. The last month wasn't so bad. His Aunt and Uncle mostly ignored him and Dudley ran from the room screaming when he saw him.**

"They were the days." He sighed dreamily. Everyone laughed at him.

 **It wasn't so bad, really, as he had had plenty of experience with people ignoring and/or fearing him in his first year, second year, fourth year, and fifth year for getting caught after getting rid of Norbert, being a Parselmouth, being the fourth champion, and being a lying schizophrenic, respectively.**

Everyone looked him with raised eyebrows or awe.

 **One thing he did do was make sure he memorized his potion's textbook. He was not taking ANY chances there. Snape may have loved his mother, but he sure as hell hated him until he died.**

Everyone looked at the man, but only received a scowl.

 **On the last day of August, Harry went down to the living room and cleared his throat, watching with some amusement as Dudley screamed and ran from the room. Harry supposed that that was what happened when Dudley's parents encouraged him to make Harry's life miserable and kept him in the dark about Harry having magical powers. "Um-Uncle Vernon?"**

 **Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.**

 **"I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to go to Hogwarts." Another grunt. "Would it be alright if you gave me a lift?" Grunt. "Thank you."**

"Harry we didn't know-"

"-you knew troll." The twins gasped in fake awe.

 **"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?"**

 **"No, but they're illegal in Britain, and I doubt they'd trust us to go straight to school and not let ourselves be seen if we each had one. Not to mention how expensive it would be…"**

 **"Where is this school, anyway?"**

 **"Scotland," Harry replied.**

 **"Can you be any more specific?" Uncle Vernon asked.**

 **"Planning on coming up for Family Day?"**

 **Aunt Petunia looked horrified. "They have Family Day now?"**

This made everyone burst out laughing, even Snape smiled at her displeasure.

 **"All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."**

 **"Great," Harry said and left. To think-only one more day and he'd be back at Hogwarts. And…he'd get to see Ginny, too, if only briefly.**

She blushed again, but now it was less noticeable.

 **Yes, things might just work out after all, if he could keep his temper this time around and not alienate the press and the Ministry**.

 **Oh boy. This was going to be a LONG seven years.**

"Four years in and its still too long." He moaned in dismay.

"And that is the end of the chapter, who would like to read next?" Dumbledore inquired.

"I will." Said McGonagall and took the book to begin reading:

 **Chapter two**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I dont own Harry Potter or any characters.**

 **"Well, there you are, boy," Uncle Vernon said, a nasty grin on his face. "Platform nine-platform ten. Your platform should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?"**

"How rude." Hermione gasped.

 **Harry rolled his eyes. "You're some kind of moron-**

"Obviously." The twins rolled their eyes.

 **-you know that? And no, I wouldn't recommend trying anything in front of all these witnesses," Harry said casually as he watched his Uncle's face begin to purple. He figured he was reasonably safe saying anything he wanted to him seeing as how he wouldn't see him for nine whole months. "Of course they don't have the platform be obvious; it's a train for wizard children with wizard items that would attract far too much attention."**

 **"Then where is it, boy?" Vernon spat.**

 **"You just walk right through the portal. I know it looks like a brick wall, but I assure you it's not. How is that possible, you ask? MAGIC. In fact, you can come with me, if you like, and see it for yourself," Harry suggested.**

 **Uncle Vernon looked like he was about to lunge at Harry-**

"Would he really?" Asked a shocked Hermione. Again, Harry made a so-so sign.

 **-but Harry just nodded towards the local constable who was standing not twenty feet away and Uncle Vernon reluctantly backed down. "You'll pay for that, boy," he whispered menacingly and then walked back to his car. As they drove away, Harry saw Dudley and Aunt Petunia laughing; clearly his Uncle had lied about the encounter.**

 **Now, Harry was fully aware of the fact that antagonizing his Uncle was probably not the best plan-**

"Well nooo," Neville said sarcastically making Harry pout.

 **-but he had stood up to people a hundred times more intimidating than the likes of Vernon Dursley and so he wasn't about to just cower as he would have when he was really eleven. Harry could basically write off any chance of improving relations with his Uncle, but the rest of his family were a different story.**

 **He knew that his Aunt Petunia had once loved her sister and was more scared of what Harry's presence would mean in terms of her family's safety and jealous that Lily had always been the favorite. More than fifteen years of resentment would be hard to overcome, but Harry had always hated summer and the fact that he never had anything to do, so he may as well try that. Dudley was another avenue that Harry could pursue. Granted at this point in time he was little more than a spoiled bully, but he did eventually come to accept Harry after the Dementor incident.**

"Dementor incident." Remus intervened for the first time.

"Yeah, summer before fifth year two dementors came to my house and I saved Dudley with the Patronus charm. He was actually grateful." By the time he had finished a lot had grown pale.

 **He wasn't quite sure how he could speed up a reconciliation with Dudley, but it might be worth looking into. It would definitely make life at Privet Drive more peaceful, that was for sure.**

 **"-packed with Muggles, of course-"**

Many facepalmed, really, saying magical terms in the muggle world.

 **Harry looked up abruptly as he heard Mrs. Weasley's voice. He quickly hurried after them.**

 **"Now, what's the platform number?" Molly asked. Harry wondered briefly how in the world she managed to forget the platform number since she'd been doing this for God knows how many years.**

She blushed brightly at that.

 **"Nine and three-quarters!" Ginny piped up. "Mum, can't I go…" Harry couldn't help but grin. While they were both currently way too young for him to be having any romantic thoughts about her, she was still a cute kid.**

Said Weasley blushed brightly...again.

 **When all the Hogwarts-bound Weasley's save Ron had gone through, Harry approached them.**

 **"Excuse me," Harry said.**

 **"Hello, dear. First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too," Molly said kindly.**

 **"Yes," Harry nodded before turning to Ron. "Hi, my name's Harry Potter."**

 **As he anticipated, the reaction was immediate. Ron's eyes immediately flew to his forehead and Ginny started squealing. Well, at least this way she wouldn't complain about not seeing him, though watching the love of his life act like a fangirl was somewhat irritating.**

A lot snickered at that phrasing.

 **"Are you really?" Ron asked.**

 **"Are you really Ron?" Harry asked.**

Ron's brothers laughed, seeing what Harry is pulling, while Ron glared lightly at anyone who made a sound, not that it stopped them.

 **"Of course I am," Ron said, looking confused. "Why wouldn't I be?"**

 **"I could say the same to you," Harry replied.**

 **"But…but I can't believe that you'd be Harry Potter!"**

"And I boosted his ego." Ron groaned, ignoring the muffled protests.

 **Harry shrugged. "Well, I suppose someone has to be, right?" he said, casually brushing his hair out of his eyes and revealing the most famous scar in the history of magic. "So anyway, I was wondering if you could help me find the platform?" he asked, turning back to Mrs. Weasley.**

 **Mrs. Weasley, whose eyes had filled with tears upon finding out who Harry was (probably because such a polite boy had had such a tragic life and at such a young age, too), nodded. "Of course, dear. All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."**

 **Harry thanked her for her help and walked through the platform. Harry looked around, smiling a little at the sight of everyone so much younger than the last time he saw them.**

"But we are still drop-"

"-Dead gorgeous in the future, right?" The twins batted their eyes.

 **Suddenly, one of the Weasley twins approached him. "Want a hand?" he asked. Unfortunately, Harry had no idea which one it was, as he had never been able to tell them apart to begin with and George had lost his ear-**

There was a tense silence, until George uttered- "Bet I was still better looking." Which set his twin squawking protests.

 **-the summer after his sixth year and then Fred had died so he never really got an opportunity, even after he had married into the family.**

 **"Thanks," Harry replied.**

 **"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!" Okay, now Harry was reasonably sure that Fred was the one who had approached him. After all, the twins never actually referred to themselves by their proper names, as apparently that was for 'lesser pranksters.'**

The twins nodded solemnly.

 **Once the twins helped him, he again brushed his hair out of his eyes, this time more because the effort of lifting his school trunks (he should probably put a charm on it to lighten it) than because he had any great need to reveal himself to people who would hear him announced to everybody at his sorting soon enough. It was strange, though, to see George with two ears again. To see Fred ALIVE again. His heart constricted briefly and he tried to imagine how it'd be to see some of the other people he'd lost. Especially Sirius, who was still in Azkaban.**

"What are these wild accusations." Sirius demanded, still going with rewriting his history. Everyone ignored it, being usedto it by now.

 **"What's that?" George asked. Now that Harry had a good idea as to which one had first approached him, he knew that he'd be able to tell them apart—at least until they left his line of sight. Apparently Bill was the only one who had been consistently able to tell them apart, hence he was their favourite sibling. Well, Bill and Percy, but the latter was far too uptight to ever be idolized by the Weasley twins.**

Percy muttered under his breath.

 **"Blimey," said Fred. "Are you-?"**

 **"He is," George confirmed. Harry couldn't help but notice how surreal it was that the Weasley twins were, for once, NOT finishing each other's sentences. Hm. No matter how well they knew each other, that must be pretty difficult. Were they Legilimens?**

"Just amazing." The two boasted.

 **"Aren't you?"**

 **"Well, I'm seriously confused, if that's what you mean," Harry told them.**

 **"Harry Potter," chorused the twins.**

 **"Nope," Harry said cheerfully.**

Everyone blinked in confusion.

 **"You're not?" Fred asked, bemused.**

 **"No, I'm not. Have you ever met him?" Harry asked.**

 **"Well, no, but-" George began.**

 **"Then what makes you think I'm him?" Harry demanded.**

 **"Well, you've got a scar," Fred offered.**

 **"So does Dumbledore, are you going to go accusing him of being Potter next?"**

 **"Of course not!" George said, looking thoughtful. "Filch, on the other hand…"**

Everyone started to laugh.

 **"So who are you then, if you're not Harry Potter?" Fred asked skeptically. "And why do you have a lightning bolt scar on your forehead?"**

 **"Well, after that nasty little incident with the Dark Lord, my mother decided that lightning bolt scars were 'in' and shot a cutting curse at me." Harry paused.**

"A lot actually did that," Luna said in her dreamy voice.

 **"At least, that's the official story. I think that was before my father had the courage to be cut off for three months by telling her that maybe she should leave the cooking to the house elves." Fred and George just stared at him. "Hey, don't judge! And I'm Draco Malfoy, by the way." He peered at them suspiciously. "You ARE Purebloods, right?"**

"Nailed it," Harry smirked. Most had to agree, even Draco himself, grudgingly.

 **Wordlessly, Fred nodded.**

 **George found his voice first. "YOU'RE Draco Malfoy?"**

 **"You have a problem with that?" Harry crossed his arms.**

 **"No, but…aren't your parents blonde?" he asked.**

 **"Your point being?"**

Everyone snorted.

 **"How can two blonde people have a black-haired son?" George asked reasonably.**

"Here it comes," Draco mutters.

 **"No, my mother was not having a very public affair with Severus Snape, how dare you even suggest that!" Harry screeched.**

"And there it is," Draco announced, scowling.

 **Fred held up his hands. "Calm down, he didn't mean to offend you."**

 **"Well he did," Harry sniffed. "In fact, I'm going to write to father right now."**

 **"Isn't he still at the platform?" George asked, perplexed.**

 **"Yes he is, but actually talking to your relatives is for half-bloods,"-**

Everyone burst out laughing.

 **-and with that Harry stormed off, wondering how on earth he had managed to keep a straight face through that entire exchange. One thing he knew, though, was that he definitely would have the twins' respect after they realized he'd tricked them.**

"You definitely did." The twins said in sync.

 **"Hey, Mum, guess what. Guess who we just met on the train," Harry heard Fred say.**

 **"Who?" Molly asked.**

 **"Draco Malfoy!"**

 **"That's nothing, I met Harry Potter," Ginny told him, still sounding awestruck.**

 **"Why'd you want to meet a git like him anyway?" Ron asked.**

 **"Meeting him wasn't the interesting part," George explained.**

 **"Then what was?" Ron asked.**

 **"Apparently his mum and Snape were having an affair and he's the by-product!" Fred exclaimed.**

"And there it started." Draco scowled.

 **"WHAT?" Molly asked. This is much better gossip than last year's 'Albus Dumbledore was madly in love with Gellert Grindelwald.' Honestly, you'd think Rita Skeeter would learn to stop making up such sensational stories. Obviously Dumbledore was struck speechless by the blatant lies and thus couldn't be bothered to deny it.**

 **"It's true, he practically admitted it," George confirmed.**

 **"I've got to go find Andromeda," Mrs. Weasley muttered. "Be good kids!" And with that she hurried away, Ginny trailing along behind her and casting longing looks back at the Express.**

 **"Anyone sitting here?" Ron asked, entering Harry's compartment hesitantly.**

 **"Nope, go ahead," Harry invited.**

 **"Hey, Ron," George said, entering their compartment. "Listen, we're going down the—Why are you sitting with Malfoy?"**

"Bet that was a shock." Hermione laughed.

 **"Malfoy?" Ron looked confused. "You mean him?" he gestured to Harry.**

 **Fred nodded.**

 **"But that's not Malfoy, that's Harry Potter," Ron explained.**

 **"What?" Fred asked. "But…but you told us you were Draco Malfoy."**

 **Harry shrugged. "What can I say? Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy…Sometimes I get confused."**

Everyone laughed at his words.

 **"George, I think we've been pranked," George said.**

 **"Are the first years allowed to do that?" Fred wondered. "Does that mean that what you said about Snape's not true either?"**

 **"It might be," Harry said neutrally. "Feel free to spread the rumor in any event."**

"You two as well." Draco accused to an innocent-looking twins, how were they even looking like that with being who they are?

 **Both twins' eyes lit up at this and they ran off down the hall. Harry felt slightly guilty for doing this when he was planning on making a sincere effort to not make Draco Malfoy his arch-nemesis (because honestly, if he really wanted one that badly, there was always Voldemort)-**

No one could believe how relaxed he was about that.

 **-but then decided that since Draco had spread that same rumor about his mother and Snape, turnabout was fair play.**

"I did?" Draco asked and winced at Harry's sharp nod.

 **"You're my hero," Ron blurted out.**

Everyone snorted.

 **"Because of my facial disfigurement?" Harry asked.**

Everyone burst out laughing.

 **"No, because you pranked Fred and George," Ron explained. At Harry's incredulous look, he hastened to add, "But your scar's pretty cool, too."**

Que facepalms.

 **"Yeah, it was really considerate of Voldemort to give me such a wicked-looking scar when he attempted to brutally murder me as an infant," Harry said dryly.**

 **Ron just stared at him, fascinated and a little horrified. "You really shouldn't say his name, you know."**

 **"You know, the more people tell me that, the less likely I am to actually listen to them," Harry remarked casually.**

 **Ron looked torn between the desire to impress upon Harry the importance of not saying Tom Riddle's-**

"Who?"

"That's Voldemorts" _Flinches._ "Real name, he's a halfblood, it's an anagram for 'I am Lord Voldemort.'" Harry explained.

 **-silly little pseudonym and asking more about the night the two had met for the first time. "Do you remember it?"**

 **"You do realize I was fifteen-months-old at the time, right?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.**

 **"I know!" Ron defended, although his tone of voice indicated that he didn't seem to really grasp that Harry was far too young to have even properly remembered the event, much less actually play some secret part in Voldemort's downfall. "I just thought that you might remember because of the scar."**

Ron blushed, now hearing how ridiculous it sounded.

 **Now it was Harry's turn to stare. "You know, I'm starting to think that you people don't actually know anything about the way that scars work," he said, remembering how everyone had thought that his scar made him a lying schizophrenic fifth year.**

At everyone's stared he waved his hand and muttered a "later."

 **"What do you mean 'you people'?" Ron asked.**

 **"You know, wizards," Harry explained.**

 **"But you're a wizard," Ron pointed out.**

 **"Yes, but I was raised by Muggles," Harry explained.**

 **"What does that matter?" Ron asked.**

 **Harry smiled at Ron's inability to comprehend why it would matter. He was so innocent back then…**

Ron blushed bright red, glaring at Harry.

 **"Muggles don't have magic and as such are forced to be much more sensible."**

 **"Oh." Ron paused and looked expectantly at Harry.**

 **Harry sighed. "And to answer your question, yes, a little."**

 **"What do you remember?" Ron asked eagerly. That was the annoying part about Ron being so innocent; he tended to have the tact of a troll. He'd gotten much better at not asking such painful questions such as what he remembered about the first time someone attempted to kill him after he'd started dating Hermione.**

Hermione and Ron blushed and sneaked a look at each other before sharply looking away.

 **"Well," Harry said, trying to piece together all the flashes he'd seen over the years. "I remember someone who I assume is my father telling my mother to take me and go. Then there's laughing, someone who I assume is my mother begging Voldemort to spare my life, he tells her to stand aside and let him kill me, she says no and asks him to kill her instead, he does, then there's a lot of green light and my forehead felt like it was on fire," Harry explained.**

Everyone looked horrified at him.

 **Now Ron looked horrified. "I'm sorry, mate, I didn't think-"**

 **"It's okay," Harry cut him off. He really SHOULD have thought, but then again, he was only eleven and, knowing Molly Weasley, living the most sheltered life imaginable. "Are all your family wizards?" Harry asked, quickly changing the subject.**

 **"Er – yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

 **Harry froze. He couldn't believe he'd never realized that the first time around, but to be fair, he was only a child at the time. "Why not?"**

 **Ron looked confused. "What do you mean?"**

 **"Your accountant cousin, is he magical?"**

 **"No," Ron replied, still not getting it.**

Some of the Weasleys eyes widened in understanding.

 **"Is that why you don't talk about him?" Harry asked.**

 **"Er…" Clearly Ron had never thought about WHY they pretended they didn't have a Squib relative. Just like how the Dursley's liked to pretend that they didn't have a wizard nephew.**

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gasped at that realization.

 **If the Weasley's of all people could succumb to Pureblood prejudices like that, no wonder Voldemort's only real opposition came from vigilante groups who functioned more like Albus Dumbledore's personal cult in his quest to atone for helping Grindelwald all those years ago. Still, the fact that Ron had never realized that his lack of magic was the reason they ignored their cousin was to his credit, and so Harry supposed he couldn't really take his frustration with the sorry state of the wizarding world where everyone was prejudiced against everyone out on him. Not to mention that it would completely destroy any chance they'd have of being friends.**

Everyone tilted their head in thought.

 **"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," Hermione said, entering the compartment, Neville trailing behind her.**

 **"No, but you could always summon it," Harry suggested.**

 **"I don't know the spell for that," Hermione admitted, sounding embarrassed that she didn't know how to do a spell that they didn't teach for several more years.**

"When you put it like that..." She trailed off sheepishly.

 **"Here, I'll do it," Harry volunteered and took out his wand. "Accio Neville's toad!"**

 **Nothing happened for a moment and Hermione looked doubtfully at him. "Are you sure that's a real spell?"**

"Sorry." She muttered to him, he just smiled at her.

 **Harry nodded. Oh, he was sure all right.**

 **"Well, it's not very good, is-" but she was interrupted as Trevor flew through the door. "Oh!"**

 **Ron looked over at Harry, surprised. "If you knew how to summon his toad, why didn't you do it the first time he was here?"**

 **Because he'd wanted to see Hermione again and hopefully make a better first impression?**

He nodded franticly, remembering their first meeting.

 **"I guess I didn't think of it," Harry lied.**

 **"I've tried a few simple spells, too, just for practice, and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise, but I was so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the best school of witchcraft there is."**

 **"Then isn't it convenient that it just happens to be the one geographically closest to where we live?" Harry muttered.**

A few smiled amusedly.

 **Hermione gave him a Look. "I've learned all our set books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger by the way, who are you?"**

 **"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron finally managed to say after staring blankly at her for three whole minutes.**

 **"Harry Potter," Harry told her.**

 **"Are you really?" Hermione asked, curiously.**

 **"What is it with people not** **having** **faith that I know my own name?" Harry asked Neville, who just shrugged**

Laughter bubbled up in the hall.

 **"And Hermione, I didn't know that I was a wizard until I got my letter, because my relatives refuse to acknowledge that magic exists, and Ron was telling me that there are plenty of Muggle-borns around, so I'm sure you'll be fine. Besides, I doubt that anyone else actually bothered to memorize all of the textbooks, so I think that not only is it enough, you're way ahead of everyone else."**

 **"Really?" Hermione perked up.**

"Thanks, I was really nervous until then," Hermione whispered.

 **"Really," Harry confirmed. "Although, I did memorize our Potions textbook," he admitted.**

 **Ron looked horrified at the thought of his potential best friend being a bookworm and scooted closer to Neville.**

"Sorry mate," Ron said guiltily.

" **But that's just because I heard that our teacher hated my dad and I don't want to give him a reason to hate me," Harry quickly added. Not, of course, like Snape, would need a reason, but at least he wouldn't embarrass him now with his first-day surprise questions. Harry probably could have just looked up those specific questions, but then Snape might get mad and ask him some more. Not to mention that it'd been years since his first-class with Snape and he honestly didn't even remember what the questions were or how many of them there were.**

Almost everyone glared at Snape.

 **"Oh, that's okay then," Ron said, relaxing.**

 **"You're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, you know," Hermione told him.**

 **"Well, I wouldn't believe everything you read," Harry told her, a bit uncomfortable.**

"Sorry," She whispered to Him.

 **"Why not?" Hermione asked.**

 **"Because by this time tomorrow, the Daily Prophet AND Witch Weekly will have probably run a story on how Draco Malfoy is Narcissa Malfoy and Severus Snape's love child," Harry told her.**

Narcissa scowled from across the hall.

 **"I'm afraid I don't understand," Hermione frowned. "Who are-"**

 **"Don't worry about it," Harry told her. "You'll find out soon enough."**

"Yes," She said dryly.

 **"I guess I should be going, now that you found Trevor," Hermione said, getting up, Neville reluctantly following suit.**

 **Ron, being eleven, didn't notice that they obviously wanted to stay, but Harry did and his heart went out to his past and future friends. "Hey, why don't you guys stay a while? We've got way too much food; we need some help eating it."**

 **Hermione beamed and sat right back down again.**

 **"Thanks, Harry," Neville said quietly.**

Neville nodded in agreement with his past self.

 **A short while later, Draco Malfoy entered the compartment.**

 **"Neville Longbottom," he proclaimed proudly.**

 **"Uh, yes?" Neville asked, surprised.**

 **"Not you," Draco told him. "Him," he said, pointing at Harry.**

 **"Sorry," Harry told him. "But that's Neville."**

 **"Oh. Was I close?" he asked hopefully.**

Everyone smirked at how he was obsessing over it.

 **"How could you be close? I'm either a Longbottom or I'm not. Which, for the record, I'm not."**

 **"Well, you could be related to him," Draco pointed out.**

 **Harry snorted. "I probably am, due to all the inbreeding."**

Snorts could be heard all around.

 **Draco chose to ignore that, partly because he wanted to find out who Harry was (as he had most likely spent the past month obsessing about it)-**

He grumpily nodded.

 **\- and partly because it was true. "Then who are you?"**

 **"That's Harry Potter," Hermione said helpfully.**

 **Draco laughed. "No, really, who is he?"**

 **Harry simply lifted his bangs up.**

 **"Wow, you ARE Harry Potter," Draco said, sounding a little astonished.**

 **"Yep," Harry said, vaguely recalling something from his first time around. "Weren't people talking about that?"**

 **"Well, yes," Draco admitted. "But they were also spewing the most ridiculous story about my being Professor Snape's lovechild."**

 **"Really?" Harry asked innocently. "Wow, I guess people will believe anything."**

 **"But Harry," Hermione looked puzzled. "Didn't you already-"**

 **"Know that people will believe anything?" Neville, surprisingly, cut her off; having figured out that Harry had started the rumor.**

Neville grinned.

 **"Yeah, he did, but he's been a celebrity for years, so I suppose he would have."**

 **"You're Draco Malfoy then?" Ron sniggered, his eleven-year-old maturity level finding the new rumor about him hilarious.**

 **Fortunately, Draco misinterpreted Ron's amusement. "Think my name's funny, do you?" Or perhaps not so fortunate. "No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."**

 **"Wow, that's oddly specific," Harry remarked. "I take it that your fathers' know each other? And are probably not on the best terms?"**

Understatement.

 **Draco nodded. "You'd be right, Potter. You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are much better than others. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."**

 **Harry groaned inwardly. It was like Malfoy was trying to become his enemy or something.**

"Did not!" Draco exclaimed.

"This is what happened last time." Harry pointed out, Draco closed his mouth.

 **Not, of course, that Harry could possibly consider an eleven-year-old boy his enemy, but he knew that his school years would go a LOT smoother with one less person out to destroy him. How to best handle this? He couldn't shake Malfoy's hand, of course, but that would give him the wrong idea AND alienate everyone else in the compartment. But how could he NOT shake it and still get out of a pointless seven-year rivalry?**

"That is problematic." Luna pointed out.

 **Finally, he said, "I'm sure you could, Draco, but the thing is, I'm still new to this whole 'Magic is real' thing and so I'm not sure if I could really make an informed choice at the moment. You wouldn't want me to pick Ron just because we bonded over candy and you thought I was Neville, do you?"**

 **Draco considered. "I guess not."**

Who knew Draco could be resonable.

 **"And besides, I'd really, REALLY like to at least make it to school before alienating anyone," Harry said diplomatically. "So maybe at some point I'll decide that you're right, Ron is the root of all evil, and take you up on your offer of help. Maybe not. But in the meantime, I still need to figure out which of you is right." Bull, he knew exactly who was right and who he would ultimately choose if either Malfoy or Ron forced his hand. But it was a pretty reasonable thing for someone who barely knew either of them to say.**

 **"Alright," Draco agreed reluctantly. "But you'll soon see that I'm right." And with that he left, the bridge unburnt.**

"A lot harder than I thought." Harry muttered.

"I will read next." Flitwick said and took the book.

 **Chapter 3**


End file.
